June Favourites

Hey guys :)

First order of business: SUMMER.

IT'S HERE.

SCHOOL IS OUT.

AHHHHH!

So you might have noticed a little change in the title. I have decided to change from Monthly Music Favourites to monthly favourites because I like all kinds of stuff :) I want to talk about beauty products, clothes, apps and books. Obviously I'll still be writing about music, and I'll build it up from there.

Let's begin!

Music

1. 'Brooklyn Baby' by Lana del Rey
'Ultraviolence' came out this month and I really like 'Brooklyn Baby' from it. Lana del Rey presents us with a list of vintage-y, edgy songs. Her music style is one that I've never really come across before, and it's so unique.

2. 'Wicked Games' by The Weekend (HugLife a.k.a. DJ Slink remix)

A while back, a dance group at school performed to this song. They were awesome and the song stuck in my head. Early this month I found it and I was so excited! The singing has a whimsical vibe, but paired with the beat, the song changes from dreamy to edgy.

3. 'Cool Kids' by Echosmith

I learnt about this song off Bethany Mota (Macbarbie07 on YouTube) when she did her monthly favourites. The lyrics to this song are so meaningful and relate-able, and Echosmith is a cool band. It's made up of 4 siblings, ranging from 15 to 21. So young, so talented (and Sydney is absolutely gorgeous♡)! 

4. 'Cardiac Arrest' by Bad Suns

This song is insanely catchy, I'm not even kidding. It's fun to sing and dance to, so what's not to love?

Everything else!

1. This brush

This has to be one of the BEST hair brushes I've ever used. Like I said last week, I'm a total sucker for packaging and the colours on this are so cute! It works just as well as a Tangle Teezer, and it's WAY more affordable. I purchased it from Forever 21 last week and I use it everyday *obsessively brushing hairt*

2. This topcoat

I posted about this topcoat a few weeks ago and since then it has become my holy grail topcoat. I painted my nails a few weeks ago and then practiced a solo section on the guitar. Normally, my nails get wrecked by the strings. With this topcoat on, my nails stayed perfect; not a single scratch, even after fingerpicking! I was totally amazed by its topcoat-ness. 

3. This bracelet combo

Both of these bracelets are from Forever 21 and they came in separate packages: the one with 'happiness' on it alone and the jeweled one with two other jeweled ones. I like how the bracelets look together because the thick chain contrasts against the daintiness of the other bracelet.

4. My polaroid camera

This camera is the Fujifilm instax mini 7s, purchased from Korea last year (but purchasable in Log On for you HK peeps). This week was the last week of school and I had to bring it with me to the last day. I made new friends this year and we went through so much together (GLEE!), and a polaroid camera is perfect to capture memories. I keep it in this cute little pineapple drawstring I got online.

5. Revlon's new site design

This favourite was super spontaneous. I literally just went on the site a few hours ago and I LOVE IT. The new design is gorgeous, presenting the products to you in a sleek, no-bull format. This favourite is probably one of my strangest but gush about it I will!

I am also super excited for all the new Revlon products and I am hoping they come to Hong Kong!

That's all for my June Favourites. I hope you've enjoyed this post and I'll see you next week!

Remember to follow me on social media :)

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Review: Baby Lips in Grape Vine #20

Hey guys :)

How have you been doing? School is almost out and I am dying for summer. There are so many things I want to do, such as go on more walks, catch up on my reading, and do more DIY posts! Today's post is a review on a Baby Lips lip balm in Grape Vine #20.

Yesterday I went to Dude's. Again :) They had started selling the Baby Lips Dr. Rescue lip balms and I wanted to try them out because I am obsessed with Baby Lips. When I was in Dude's, I was looking through reviews of the Dr. Rescues. Many bloggers discouraged readers to purchase them, because of the smell, weak pigmentation, and cheap packaging. Grape Vine caught my eye and I was SO happy to find it. I have been wanting this particular Baby Lips for a really long time, but Dude's never seemed to have it in stock. Fortunately, there was one more on the shelve so I snapped that up.

Ok, first things first: the packaging. I am in love with it! I am a huge sucker for packaging just because. The bright teal and fuchsia compliment each other well, and the bright colour is perfect for summer. The tube is also really easy to manage, and it is compact enough to slip into a small bag or pocket.

Of course, I didn't only buy it for the packaging! When I first saw Grape Vine, I fell for the colour. For lip colours, I either like really pale pinks (like Cover Girl's Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Ballet Twist) or purple-y pinks. This lip balm fell in the purple-y pinks category; I would describe it as a mauve-y purple.

As you can see on my hand, the pigmentation is quite sheer. It was a lot more sheer than I thought, so that was a little bit disappointing *sad face*. Nonetheless, it would be a good colour for school because it's not too dark or purple, and it gives a flattering sheer wash of colour to my lips. 

Grape Vine is on the right, and next to it is Berry Bomb from the Baby Lips Electro collection. Berry Bomb is my absolute favourite out of all Baby Lips because I love how vibrant it is on my lips. It is definitely my holy grail, go-to lip product.

The lip balm claims to have a moisture-staying power of 8 hours. I'm not entirely sure on this account because I tend to reapply after 2-3 hours. I do like how moisturized my lips feel when I'm wearing it, and it doesn't have that gross, waxy texture many other lip balms have. Another awesome thing is that it smells like grape candy :)

So to sum it all up:

Pros:

• cute packaging
• compact size
• nice feeling on lips
• good texture
• yummy smell

Cons:

• not as pigmented as I had expected

Overall, I like this product. It didn't fully turn out the way I had expected it to be, but I still really like it. If you are looking for a lip product that is moisturizing and isn't too in-your-face, I would recommend Grape Vine!

My Baby Lips collection!

That's all for today, hope you enjoyed today's post. Have a good day/night!

Leave a comment down below and don't forget to follow Love From Icy on Bloglovin or by email!

DIY: Collage Phone Case

Hey guys :)

First off, the past few weeks I have been crazy-busy with science revision. I did the end-of-year assessent a few days ago and now I feel FREE.

But tomorrow I have a Chinese exam. Whyyyyy.

Secondly, happy Father's Day to all dads out there! I would like to thank my dad for being supportive of everything that I do, and I love him very much! Unfortunately he wasn't here today to celebrate with us as he's on a business trip, but I send my love♡

Anyways, I have not done a DIY in almost two months! Today I have a DIY collage phone case, inspired by my many hours of procrastination on tumblr. I have been obsessively going through my dashboard, clicking through hashtags, reblogging, the usual jist on tumblr :)

Let's get started!

You will need:
1. Microsoft Word (or any other program where you can arrange photos)
2. pictures of your choice
3. a clear phone case
4. a cutter and cutting mat
5. a pencil and ruler

1. Firstly, you've got to find the pictures you want for your collage. You can use any: personal pics of you and your friends or family, photography, patterns... I like to search up 'grunge', 'vintage', 'indie' and 'girly' on tumblr; they usually give me the best results. You can check out my tumblr for inspo http://icygirl79.tumblr.com/ ;) Check out We Heart It and Pinterest, they have cool pics on them too. Remember to choose pics with a higher resolution or when you print them out they'll be super pixelated. 

2. Start up Microsoft Word or your choice of program and open up a blank page. You'll want to change the size of the page to fit your phone. I have a iPhone 5S so I made my page 6.4 cm by 12.9 cm. If you have a different device, measure your device's length and width, then add a few millimeters to both numbers, just to give yourself some room when you start cutting. 

3. Print it out and you'll be ready to start.

4. There are several ways in which you can get the shape that you need. One, you can directly trace your device onto the collage. The second way is only if your case came with a paper structure in the shape of your device. In my case (no pun intended!) it did, so I used that to trace.

5. So you've got the shape done. Next you'll have to cut the camera hole. With your case, line the collage up to the appropriate place and trace the hole. Use a cutter to cut it out. 

6. Fit the collage into the case and you're done!

This DIY is definitely my favourite out of all the other ones I've done! I love how you can customize all the pictures. I made another collage and a few other designs with a single larger image.

If you choose to recreate this, I would absolutely love to see it! You can instagram it and tag me @icygirl79, tweet me @icygirl79, or message me on tumblr (link is above) :)

Hope you've enjoyed today's post! That's all for today, have a good day/night!

Leave a comment down below and don't forget to follow Love From Icy on Bloglovin or by email!

Shopping in Seoul: Myeong Dong

Hey guys :)

So a couple of weeks ago, I went to Seoul with my mum for a mini shopping spree during the long weekend. We didn't go to too many places as our time was limited, but we stopped at several places like Ehwa Woman's University, Dongdaemun, and of course, Myeong Dong. I've been to Myeong Dong a few times in the past, and it is literally shopping HEAVEN. From the station's Exit 7 (Myeong Dong station, Line 4), you come out from the station to face an ever-lasting road of shops.

First is a freaking GINORMOUS Uniqlo.

As you go in, there will be shops like Tony Moly, innisfree, Etude House, all sorts of makeup brands. There are actually several of the same shop as you head further in, so if you can't find the thing you're looking for in one shop, it's bound to be available in the same shop 2 minutes away. 

The best thing about Myeong Dong (to me) is the absolutely HUGE Forever 21. The founder of Forever 21 was a Korean guy and his wife, who moved to L.A. to open up stores. Last time I visited this store was maybe two years ago, and since then they have renovated the store. The new design resembles a fashion runway, and it looks amazing!

More stores include:

• SPAO
• Bean Pole
• H&M
• American Apparel
• 8ight Seconds
• Top Ten

and many, many more...

As for beauty brands:

• innisfree
• Etude house
• Tony Moly
• Holika Holika
• Nature Republic 
• The Face Shop
• A'pieu
• Olive Young
• Atrium
• Skin Food

and again, many, many more!

I did a haul post of the stuff I purchased in Korea, so if you would like to see that click HERE.

If you have a chance to visit Seoul and you love shopping, definitely check out Myeong Dong. It's a really tourist-y spot, so a must-see!

Not much today, but I promise I'll have a really exiting post for next week :)

One last thing: I now have a Twitter account! Ok, technically, like the tumblr account, I did have an old one. However, I didn't really use so it so I thought I would delete it and start fresh. Follow me @icygirl79 https://twitter.com/icygirl79

That's all for today. have a good day/night!

Have you been to Seoul? Leave a comment down below and don't forget to follow Love From Icy on Bloglovin or by email!

Monthly Music Favourites: May 2014

Hey guys :)

Whew, the month has passed quickly so it's time for my MMF! For this month, it seems like my picks were from last month because I instantly fell for a few songs during the first two weeks of the month which had to be included in this post.

Let's get to it!

1. 'Fancy' by Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX
This song HAD to be included in this month's MMF! It's so upbeat and fun to dance to with your friends, which I have definitely done (shoutout to you peeps from the party bus ;)). The music video is absolutely amazing, and Iggy Azalea was flawless. I love the whole 'Clueless' theme to the it because it's such an iconic chick flick filled with quirks and generally girly ish. Definitely number one on this month's list!

2. 'Problem' by Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea

Another song where Iggy Azalea raps :) In this song, Ariana Grande reaches notes beyond my belief and it sounds incredible. However, in contrast to 'Fancy', I didn't really like the music video. The same images were repeated over and over again, and it started to get boring after the first chorus. So good song, not-so-good video :/ Luckily the music video is only part of the whole presentation, and I did enjoy her first performance of the song.

3. R5

I surprised myself when I chose R5 because they seem like such a generic-Disney-pop band. They are actually quite a good band. Their songs are pretty catchy, like 'I Want U Bad' and '(I Can't) Forget About You'. Somehow they reminded me of when I was younger and when life was easier :) Also, I really like listening to the covers that they do on their own YouTube channel.

4. 5 Seconds of Summer

My friend and I have been rocking out to 5SOS almost every Science class! We love 'Don't Stop' and 'She Looks So Perfect', and we belt them out LOUD. Another friend introduced me to them last year and I thought their music was good (I'm the worst at describing things!). I really love their Billboard Awards performance where they were nervous, because it showed that they were real people with relatable problems. It was sweet how when one person was shaken up, another would just shoot them a funny face to be like, "It's fine, you're doing great!" From this we see that they truly work well together, and they will achieve many things later on.

Lots of new music has come out or will be coming out, but I guess my favourites will have to go into next month's MMF. I'm considering expanding my monthly favourites to other things as well, not only music, but I can't do makeup because I don't wear any... food, movies, fashion and random favourites? 

That's all for today. I hope you've enjoyed this post; have a good day/night!

What are your MMF? Leave a comment down below and don't forget to follow Love From Icy on Bloglovin or by email!

Seoul Haul

Hey guys :)

So the stupidest thing happened to me today: I sneezed in class, and had a sudden mega-nosebleed. The worst part was that we were in the middle of writing a practice exam-style Chinese essay. UGH, I'm still cringing :/

Anyways, I'm back from Korea! Ok, technically I came home last night but only now have I gotten the chance to write. As promised from last week, I have a haul of what I purchased in Korea. Here goes!

The most exciting purchase first, no? AHHHH I love these Toms sososo much! The shop had a ton of styles, and I really wanted to get the blue ombre crochet pair. But, I own a lot of blue-green clothing so I probably wouldn't get much wear out of them. This pair has a more neutral colour palette and I look forward to wearing them out.

If you've seen my post from a few weeks ago, you'll know I use innisfree skincare products. I purchased a night cream and everyday lotion because I was running out, and I really like the green tea line. I haven't previously used these products so I hope they moisturize my skin well. 

Surprisingly, I didn't buy too many accessories in Korea even though I had expected myself to go overboard. I bought these earrings to use as pushpins for my cork board which I bought, maybe last month? I find that it adds something to the plain frame, without having to actually decorate the frame. The cork board will most likely appear in a future post, if anyone wants to see it. Oh, and these earrings were from Naughty Cat, a chain store of accessories which you can find scattered all over Seoul. They were only ₩1000 (HKD 7.6) per pair. Score!

Rings from Naughty Cat and Forever 21

To be honest, maybe I did go a teeny bit overboard with the nail products. I just had a long list of stuff I wanted to purchase, and luckily I managed to find them all. 

Black and white polishes from Holika Holika

Sally Hansen Insta-dri top coat from Olive Young (I have been looking for this for ages!)

Laneige sheer blue tint polish from Atrium

I was especially excited when I picked up the blue tint polish because it reminded me of the OPI Sheer Tints, only it was a lot less expensive.

L-R:

Black nail striper from The Face Shop

#41 navy nail polish from innisfree

Modi Quick Dryer drops and Nail Polish Thinner from Atrium

Sometimes in beauty stores, they have insane buy one get one offers. It just so happened that the period of which we went to Korea, Modi in Atrium was having a buy one get one offer on all their products. I was in need of a nail polish thinner because some of my nail polish had gone gloopy, and I considered getting the Seche Vite one, only I wasn't sure I wanted to pay that much. I was so glad when I found the thinner in Korea, and it was very affordable considering I was getting two bottles. 

Hair ties from Olive Young

Hand cream from innisfree

Nail polish remover in cream form from A'pieu

Petit Art perfume mist in Pure Yellow by Tony Moly

I absolutely love the packaging on the bottle! I also own the Fresh Green scent of this line, and it has a really cool vintage graphic of Lana del Rey.

Two more things before I end this post:

1. I have a tumblr now!

I recently decided to join the madness that we call tumblr. I did own an account in the past but I didn't really do anything on it, so I deleted it and started fresh. Follow me? http://icygirl79.tumblr.com/

2. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is freaking amazing!

God, every single episode is like watching a Marvel movie and it keeps me on the edge of my seat. There's so much action and there are so many plot twists. I especially like FitzSimmons :) I really, really hope this show gets picked up for more seasons after the second season ends!

That's all for today. I'm super tired now as I didn't get much sleep last night. Have a good day/night!

Leave a comment down below and don't forget to follow Love From Icy by Bloglovin and/or email!

Tag: Harry Potter

Hey guys :)

First of all, I'm now caught up with The Big Bang Theory. I've finished all 7 seasons in a month, and yesterday I watched the season 7 finale. I'm not going to spoil it for you guys, but I have to say I'm a little disappointed with how it ended :/ Anyone else feeling the same way?

Anyways, not a lot has been going on lately, so this post is a tag post! I thought I would do a Harry Potter-themed tag because the new HP 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' movie release date has just been released. I really like HP. I've read the books at least 5 times, and watch the movies every summer when it comes on TV as the 'Weekend Blockbuster'. I would kill to go to Universal Orlando's The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, drink a butterbeer, and buy a wand. Hopefully in the future, I'll be able to go visit it!

But anyways, here goes!

P.S. the pics come from WeHeartIt, credits to the owners.

1. Favourite book?
Either 'Goblet of Fire' or 'Half-Blood Prince'. I really can't decide between the two.

2. Favourite movie?
I really like 'Goblet of Fire', but the second half of 'Deathly Hallows Part 2' contains the iconic battle scene. Again, can't choose (this goes to show how good Harry Potter really is!).

3. Least favourite book?
'Prisoner of Azkaban'. I found it a little bit boring in the middle :/

4. Parts of the book/movie that made you cry?
When Fred died. I felt really sad reading and watching about it, and I felt worse when I thought about how the twins were separated :( Also, the scene when Ron says "It's not much, but it's home." The Burrow basically holds the essence of the Weasley family, and I hated it when Bellatrix destroyed it. Ok, last one: when Hermione had to wipe her parent's memory of her :(

5. If you could hook up with any HP character, who would it be?
First of all, 'hook up' just sounds plain nasty when used in the HP context. But one of the Weasley twins would be my answer. They're just so fun-loving and carefree, especially when it comes to exams!

6. Favourite character?
It's quite hard to narrow the choices down. I like a number of characters: Fleur, Tonks, the twins, Hermione...

7. What would your patronus be?
I honestly have no idea. I took THIS quiz and I got a stag :)

8. If you could have the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone, or Invisibility Cloak, which one would you choose?
The Invisibility Cloak, mainly because I want to be able to go to places without people knowing (haha that sounds totally sketchy).

9. What house would you be in?
It sounds cliche, but I would probably be put into Gryffindor. I've searched up the characteristics of people from the other houses, and I don't match up to them. However, my Pottermore account begs to differ (I was put into Slytherin).

10. If you could meet any member of the cast who would it be?
The man himself, Daniel Radcliffe. He's grown a lot from when he was Harry Potter, and I would be really interested in hearing his experiences of being part of the HP franchise, his part on 'Kill Your Darlings', and his role on Broadway.

11. Have you played any of the video games?
I vaguely remember playing a HP Lego video game with my cousins years ago. I didn't really know what to do, so I mainly smashed crates with spells to get jewels and money. I didn't have much incentive back then.

12. If you were on the Qudditch team, which position would you play?
Let's face it, I would not be able to make the Quidditch team, let alone play an actual game. I would be one of the spectators, cheering the house on!

literally me :D

13. Were you happy with the ending?
Deaths aside, I thought they ended HP well. However, the cast didn't look so good in the '19 Years Later' bit; they looked far too old. Would Ron really have such a big belly?

14. How much does Harry Potter mean to you?
I am not the ultimate HP fangirl with posters up on the walls, forever quoting 'Always', or referencing things from the movies, but Harry Potter plays a significant part in my life. The series saved me from boredom, and it encouraged me to read more and more. My friends aren't really interested in Harry Potter, so I can't talk to them about it. Oh, the struggle of being a muggle.

TAKE ME TO HOGWARTS. PLEASE.

So this concludes the tag! Next week's post will most likely come out late because I'm going to be going to Korea with my mum over the long weekend from school. Expect a haul soon :)

That's all for today. Have a good day/night!




How much do you like HP? Leave a comment down below and don't forget to follow Love From Icy on Bloglovin or by email!